6. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers.
7. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
8. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?
9. “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10. This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
11. And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12. “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13. at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
14. And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15. So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
17. I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,